River Vale, New Jersey
River Vale is a township in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. River Vale is the easternmost municipality in an area of the county referred to as the Pascack Valley. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 9,909, an increase of 250 from the 2010 census count of 9,659, which in turn reflected an increase of 210 from the 9,449 counted in the 2000 census. The township was ranked #29 on the 100 Best Places to Live 2007 survey published by CNN/Money magazine.
River Vale was formed as a township on April 30, 1906, from portions of both Hillsdale Township and Washington Township. The township was named for its location along the Hackensack River.
On January 5, 1904, the temperature in River Vale fell to, the lowest temperature ever recorded in New Jersey.
History
The earliest settlers of what would become River Vale were the Lenape Native Americans.Before 1841, present-day River Vale was part of Harrington Township. It used to be known as the "Over Kill Neighborhood" or just "Over Kill"—it being over the kill from Tappan. Its southern part, known as Eastwood, became an independent borough in 1894, but was dissolved and re-absorbed into Washington Township in 1896.
River Vale was incorporated as a township in 1906, formed from portions of both Hillsdale and Washington Township. On July 15, 1929, part of River Vale was ceded to Park Ridge. On May 20, 1959, territory was acquired from Montvale.
In 1967, a mass grave site was discovered in River Vale from an event in 1778 during the American Revolutionary War, the Baylor Massacre. This became widely known due to a February 1968 report to the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders, "1778 – The Massacre of Baylor's Dragoons." The burial site was made into a county park that was dedicated on October 15, 1972.
On July 28, 1994, the residents of River Vale voted to recall Mayor Walter Jones, Councilwoman Patricia Geier and Councilman Bernard Salmon, following a battle between residents and the mayor and some council members over the mayor's plan to merge River Vale's 9-1-1 center to a regional dispatch center located in Park Ridge.
A River Vale resident, Henry Hoffman, directed the scrapping of in Kearny from 1958 to 1960. Following Hoffman's death in 1965, the stern plate of the Enterprise was placed on a Little League baseball field as a memorial. The field was later named Hoffman Field. On October 2, 2000, the stern plate was moved to the township's Veterans' Memorial Park.
In March 2004, the township became the first municipality in the state to be placed on probation by the Municipal Excess Liability Joint Insurance Fund, a fund that covers legal expenses of member municipalities and government agencies. The issue was due to the number and scope of legal cases against the township, its employees and its governance, plus what David Grub, chief executive of the fund, called "a general environment of personal attack". The fund urged the township to update employment practices and better train managers to avoid liabilities. As a result of these issues, The New York Times called the township "small but litigious".
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 4.31 square miles, including 4.07 square miles of land and 0.24 square miles of water.The township is bordered by Montvale to the northwest, Park Ridge, Woodcliff Lake and Hillsdale to the west, Westwood to the southwest, a small section bordering Emerson to the south, Harrington Park to the southeast, Old Tappan to the east, and Pearl River, New York to the north.
Its borders are defined by the Hackensack River to the east, which was dammed to form Lake Tappan, and Pascack Brook to the south. The northern border is defined by the New York-New Jersey state border. The western border has several sections, including a section defined by an unnamed creek and a section defined by Cedar Lane.
The southern portion of the township lies between the Hackensack River and Pascack Brook, and is relatively flat. The northern portion slopes down from rolling hills in the west into Lake Tappan to the east. Much of the land is developed as suburban single-family residences, but there remain some undeveloped areas. The undeveloped areas are mostly wooded and are south and west of Lake Tappan, following the Cherry Brook and the Hackensack River watershed. In 1996, plans to develop watershed land received resistance from the community. In the southwest of the township, the Pascack Brook County Park also preserves a wooded area. There are three golf courses in the township, two 18-hole public courses, and a private 18-hole course.
There is a small commercial district surrounding the intersection of Rivervale Road and Westwood Avenue in the southern portion of the township.
Demographics
2020 census
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted people, households, and families in the township. The population density was. There were housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup was % White, % Black or African American, % Native American, % Asian, % Pacific Islander, % from other races, and % from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were % of the population.Of the households, 37.4% had children under the age of 18; 70.2% were married couples living together; 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 20.8% were non-families. Of all households, 18.4% were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.24.
26.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 19.1% from 25 to 44, 32.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.3 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $120,820 and the median family income was $135,612. Males had a median income of $100,594 versus $61,516 for females. The per capita income for the township was $49,586. About 0.7% of families and 2.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 2.4% of those age 65 or over.
Same-sex couples headed 23 households in 2010, an increase from the 9 counted in 2000.
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 9,449 people, 3,275 households, and 2,675 families residing in the township. The population density was. There were 3,312 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the township was 92.33% White, 0.58% African American, 5.89% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.22% of the population.There were 3,275 households, out of which 40.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.1% were married couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.3% were non-families. 15.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the township the population was spread out, with 27.2% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $95,129, and the median income for a family was $105,919. Males had a median income of $77,794 versus $39,732 for females. The per capita income for the township was $40,709. 2.8% of the population and 2.4% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 2.1% of those under the age of 18 and 5.3% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Government
Local government
River Vale is governed within the Faulkner Act under the Mayor-Council system of municipal government, implemented by direct petition as of January 1, 1979. The township is one of 71 municipalities statewide that use this form of government. The governing body is composed of two separate and coequal power centers, each directly elected by voters, with the Mayor serving as Chief Executive, while the Council is the municipal legislature. The Township Council has five members elected at-large to four-year staggered terms on a partisan basis, with either two seats or three seats coming up for vote in even-numbered years as part of the November general election., the Mayor of River Vale is Republican Mark Bromberg, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. The members of the Township Council are Council President Paul J. Criscuolo, Vice President Denise E. Sieg, Ari Ben-Yishay, John Donovan and James Tolomeo Jr..
In February 2014, the Township Council selected John Donovan from among a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the vacancy of Noel Matos, who resigned from office in the previous month due to work commitments.
Federal, state and county representation
River Vale is located in the 5th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 39th state legislative district.Politics
Emergency services
Police
The River Vale Police Department is a full-time department that has provided police services to the township since 1930. As of 2015, there were a total of 21 members of the department: one Chief, two Lieutenants, five Sergeants, 11 Officers, and one Dispatcher.The force is responsible for all aspects of policing in the township, including responding to fire and medical emergency calls. Each patrol car is equipped with a first aid kit, oxygen tank, and an Automated external defibrillator.
Dispatch for all River Vale emergency services is contracted to Ridgewood, New Jersey based Northwest Central Bergen Dispatch.
Officers of the River Vale Police Department are members of Pascack Valley Local 206 of the New Jersey State Policemen's Benevolent Association.